One of the amazing things about Notting Hill Carnival is that it’s a free open event, where everyone can participate, with or without feathers, in a band or not, and still have their own ‘Caribbean Moment’.

We recently met up with London fashion label WWYF (Wear What You Feel) to get their top tips on choosing your outfit for the Carnival weekend!

Style for the Lads :

On the left, Greg wears:

A String Vest : originally conceived for Norwegian soldiers in the 30s, the string vest has been a mainstay of Jamaican daily dress since the 60s, and no other garment has quite the same Caribbean cool!

A Denim Dungarees : US hip hop artists in the 90s paired string vests with all-American dungarees, so with fashion’s current love affair with all things 90s, this look is totally Notting Hill 2015!

On the right, Don wears:

A Cuban Collared Shirt : it’s a 50s high summer holiday-wear classic, the Cuban collared shirt has seen a major revival on this year’s Paris and Milan Fashion Week catwalks.

An Oversized Short : wide-fitting and falling just below the knee, US hip hop style shorts are big news again, which comes as welcome summer relief to many, after several years of squeezing into spray-on skinnies!

Style for the Ladies :

Sacha , on the left wears:

A Dashiki Shirt : the dashiki is an oversized African cotton shirt, worn traditionally by men with matching trousers and recently embraced by celebrity fashionistas like Rihanna and Beyonce as a short and trendy mini dress.

Ru, on the right wears:

A Navajo Style Poncho : while South American tribal motifs have been popular for several seasons, Carnival is a great opportunity to pull out all the stops and really have fun with the look!

With roots in Caribbean culture, Notting Hill Carnival is a melting pot of many different cultures coming together to celebrate as ONE. It is therefore a fabulous occasion to play with fashion and experiment with styles ranging from South American, African, West Indian and beyond… Notting Hill Carnival is a perfect setting for self expression, where anyone can be who they want to be, so we do hope you have fun getting ready to shine on the big weekend!